Whether you’re pregnant or you’ve just had your baby, congratulations! Breastfeeding is a great decision and is undoubtedly the best choice for your child’s health, brain, development, immunity, and the environment. What’s the easiest and more efficient way to get the job done? Wear a well-designed nursing bra and your body (and your baby) will thank you.
Wearing a nursing bra will help take care of your personal comfort, breast health, engorgement, back pain, and the added strain on your ligaments. In saying that, you’re ultimately wearing a nursing bra to breastfeed your baby, so find yourself a beautiful bra that serves this purpose, while benefiting you, bub, and the planet.
Spot the difference:
So, what is the difference between a nursing bra and a regular bra? Just the nursing clips? Nope! There’s so much more.
| Cake Nursing Bra | Regular Nursing Bra | |
| Wires: | – Flexible — move in 4 different directions – More comfortable – Suitable for breasts that may change in size and shape during the day | – Stiff and hard – Shaped for a bust that doesn’t fluctuate |
| Shape of wire: | – Wider smile — no pinching – Deeper to allow for greater bust capacity – More likely to sit on chest wall | – Narrow – Great for cleavage, not for breast health – Push and shape the bust |
| Soft cup bra: | – Deeper cups – Allow bust to separate – Supportive – Comfortable | – Can be flattening – Monoboob effect which can also cause boob sweat – Can feel jiggly |
| Linings: | – Soft and comfortable – Usually cotton – Moisture wicking – Double layers for comfort, support and durability | – Hard and scratchy – Supportive |
| Straps: | – Wide – Minimal stretch – Supportive – Sometimes reinforced at the front – Beautiful | – Thin – Stretchy – Can cut in – May not be supportive |
| Stretch of cups: | – Supported lower cup for weight – Stretchy top cup for fluctuations – Designed for a changing bust | – Can be rigid throughout (can cut in before a feed and will not be supportive after a feed) – Can be stretchy throughout (no support) – Designed for a bust size that doesn’t change |
| Durability | – Built to last – Designed and made to be worn 24 hours a day – Purpose built for being pulled at, stretched, nursed from, milk and sweat stained | – Designed to be worn for specific purposes, i.e. sport, under t-shirts or under strapless tops – Can’t withstand regular wear |
| Sustainable | – Oeko-tex certified fabrics – No plastic shipping or hangers – Cotton, bamboo and recycled yarns | – Always check the label – Possible blind eye for fast production – Plastic shipping and hangers – Yarns may not be sustainable |
| Layers | – Lots of layers – Durable and tough – Soft and comfortable | – Can be single layer – May be thin – May be scratchy – May have nipple show through |
Advantages & Benefits of Wearing a Nursing Bra:
- Carry on everyday life as much as possible with a newborn baby. Cake Maternity has sports bras, sleep bras (with nursing pad holders — aka lifesavers), t-shirt bras, date bras, pumping bras, and the list goes on.
- Ease of nursing. With easy drop-down cups and either folded edge frames or side slings, we’re making sure you’re the most comfortable and supported, even when you’re nursing.
- You’ll be comfortable. Double layered, durable, soft, and therefore ever so comfortable.
- Remain supported. A well-designed nursing bra will support you throughout your fluctuations so that your ligaments are not doing the work and possibly stretching when you’ve just nursed. On the other hand, just before a feed; you won’t feel like your bra is cutting into you when your bust is at its fullest.
What bra for what stage:
| 1 – 3 months | 3 – 8 months | 8-10 months | First 6 weeks nursing | 6 weeks+ nursing | |
| Seamless bra | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Flexible wires | x | ✓ | x * | x | ✓ |
| Soft cup bras | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
* Some women find wearing wires at this stage uncomfortable.
Special note: 80% of women are the same bust size at 8 months pregnant as they are at 6 weeks postpartum when nursing, however your rib cage will be smaller.
All bras, whether they are seamless or flexi-wire should be fitted by a professional, particularly if you are unsure of your size. If you’re not able to make it to a fitting you can follow these simple fitting guidelines.
Breastfeeding gives your child the best possible start in life, but you should enjoy this phase too.
There are so many different styles of bra out there to help make breastfeeding as effortless and comfortable as possible, all whilst being beautifully crafted and well designed.
This article is sponsored by our friends at Cake Maternity.
Katie is a nursing bra specialist and a fit, pattern and grading technician. She is passionate about breastfeeding and the many benefits it offers to both mum, bub and the environment.
She is determined to make the breastfeeding journey a comfortable, supportive and beautiful one for all mums, understanding that it doesn’t always come easy to everyone. That’s why she has made it her mission to empower women as they mindfully navigate the world of motherhood and help make breastfeeding easier, through experience-driven innovation.
- The Benefits Of Wearing A Maternity/Nursing Bra - September 16, 2020
